Reunification & Therapeutic Family Time (RTFT)

Reconnecting children and families

Reunification & Therapeutic Family Time (RTFT) is a family centered program consisting of three services that can be used in combination with one another or individually.

The three services are:

Reunification Readiness Assessment – an assessment that assists DCF in determining a family’s readiness for reunification with their child(ren) who are in out-of-home care.

Reunification Services – planned and staged process of safely returning children in out-of-home care to their families of origin.

Therapeutic Family Time – an intervention between children and their parent(s) used to assist them in maintaining and/or re-establishing relationships that are healthy for the child. This service provides direct consultation, assessment, direct work with parent(s) on parenting skills, improving parent-child interactions and promoting attachments.

Supporting families throughout the process

RTFT delivers a staged model to support families throughout the reunification process. The service is designed to engage the family and build their network of supports. In addition, we actively engage and involve the non-custodial parent in the reunification process.

Designed to preserve and restore the parent/ child attachment, we use a “Visit Coaching Model” that occurs in the least restrictive, most homelike setting possible and reduces the child’s sense of abandonment and loss. We work hard to facilitate permanency planning and emphasize continuity of every relationship.

Our services can also offer a step-down option if families require additional supports.

Who RTFT serves

Boys & Girls Village serves families with children (from birth to age 17) who were removed from their home due to protective service concerns with a goal of reunification. These children may be victims of neglect and/or physical or sexual abuse and may have been exposed to substance abuse, domestic violence, mental health issues and/or other disabling conditions of the parent. Parents referred may have limited parenting, coping, cognitive abilities and life skills.

Why Donate

“It is due to BGV’s unwavering compassion and patience that I am able to learn from my mistakes and move forward rather than beating myself up for them. It is because of their dedication that I was able to push through nights where all I wanted to do was surrender to anxiety. Most significantly, without Boys & Girls Villages’ training and licensing, I wouldn't have had therapeutic foster parents to help guide me through life's toughest battles!”